Improved spring loaded spectacle hinge

ABSTRACT

Eyeglass frame of which the bows can assume two distinct positions with respect to the front under the effect of a loaded part which cooperates with two notches in one of the parts of the hinge, characterized in that the loaded part, which is located in an axial housing of the bow has the form of a shoe of which the one end is convex and cooperates in a known manner with the part of the hinge having the notches, while the opposite end comes to rest against a shoulder located in the corresponding housing of the bow in order to limit the folding out of the bow towards the outside. Part 3 of the hinge comprises two notches 10 and 11 separated by a cylindrical part 9. Bow 2 which is pivotably mounted with respect to face 1 is hollowed out by an axial bore 14 in which a shoe 17 is placed. If the bow is opened past its normal position, end 17b of the shoe comes to rest against the shoulder of bore 14. When the bow is released, spring 19 returns the bow to its use position by acting on 17.

[ Sept. 24, 1974 Unite States Patent [1 1 Guillet 1 IMPROVED SPRING LOADED SPECTACLE Primary ExaminerPaul A. Sacher HINGE Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alexander & Dowel] [76] Inventor:

[57] ABSTRACT Eyeglass frame of which the bows can assume two dis- Henri Guillet, 2 Boulevard Georges, Clemenceau Oyonnax, France Apr. 6, 1973 Appl. No.: 348,693

[22] Filed: tinct positions with respect to the front under the ef- [21] feet of a loaded part which cooperates with two notches in one of the parts of the hinge, characterized in that the loaded part, which is located in an axial [30] Foreign Application Priority Data housing of the bow has the form of a shoe of which Apr. 6, 1972 France.............................. 72.12698 the one end is convex and cooperates in a known manner with the part of the hinge having the notches, while the opposite end comes to rest against a shoulder located in the corresponding housing of the bow in order to limit the folding out of the bow towards the outside.

1 34 2 UQ5 HH 2 5 2M 3 0 G11 A ,4 61 oo 11 2 a w I 21 a 0/ n as a a 1 "n 5 u" 3 mm m mh .c n r U e m a .1 m C 1 S WM m U .mF H mm 5 55 Part 3 of the hinge comprises two notches 10 and 1 l separated by a cylindrical part9. Bow 2 which is [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS pivotably mounted with respect to face 1 is hollowed out by an axial bore 14 in which a shoe 17 is placed. If

2,874,609 2/1959 Ducati 351/113 the bow is opened past its normal position, end 17b of 3, 2/1972 the shoe comes to rest against the shoulder of bore 14. When the bow is released, spring 19 returns the bow to its use position by acting on 17.

Villiani 351/113 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 825,817 12/1959 Great Britain................ 351/113 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures IMPROVED SPRING LOADED SPECTACLE HINGE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The improvements which are the object of the present invention have the goal of permitting the creation of a frame of such a type that the bows can assume two distinct positions with respect to the face, that is to say, a position of use and a folded position. The folding of said bows beyond their use position is limited by suitable elastic stops.

The eyeglass frame according to the invention, of which the hinges comprise a loaded part cooperating with two slots carried by one of the parts of these hinges, is basically unusual because the loaded part situated in an axial housing of the bow is realized in the form of a shoe, of which the one convex end cooperates in a known manner with the part of the hinge carrying the slots, while the opposing end abuts against a shoulder in the corresponding housing of the bow in order to limit the folding of the same towards the outside.

The attached drawing, given by way of example, will permit a better comprehension of the invention, the characteristics which it presents and the advantages to be derived therefrom: r

FIG. 1 is a partial transversal cut of a frame according to the invention using an enlarged scale.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing one of the bows at its position of maximum outward folding.

The frame of the invention, shown in FIG. 1, comprises essentially a face 1 which supports lenses, not represented, and the bows 2. The face and the bows are preferably made from a plastic material such as cellulose acetate.

In the customary manner, each lateral part of face 1 is assembled to one of the parts 3 of a hinge by the intermediary rivets 4. The said part 3 comprises a bedplate 30 attached to the face, and a body 3b pierced by a central hole 5 which receives a pin 6. The body 3b comprises a flat external wall 7 preferably situated in the prolongation of the corresponding side of face 1, that is to say, obliquely by comparison with its longitudinal plane. Wall 7 is connected by a flat part 8 to a cylindrical surface 9 of which the constant radius has as its center the geometrical axis of the hole 5. This surface 9 is indented by means of two slots 10, 11 corresponding respectively to the normal use position of bows 2 and to the rest position of these bows. A capping l2 comprising at least two cheeks or knuckles each pierced by a perforation traversed by pin 6 is articulated about this pin.

The capping is extended in a direction away from pin 6 by a metallic block 13 pierced by an axial bore 14 which ends between the two knuckles of capping 12. Bore 14 is extended in a direction opposed to the capping by another bore 15 with a smaller diameter which forms, together with the first, an annular shoulder 16.

Each metal block 13 is bedded in the corresponding bow 2.

A cylindrical shoe is engaged in bore 14 of block 13. Its end 17a situated via-a-vis body 3b of hinge 3 is convex and presents the general shape of a portion of a cylinder of which the radius is very slightly greater than that of the slots 10 and 11. The opposite end 17b of shoe 17 is hollowed out by an axial perforation 18 of a diameter nearly equal to that of bore 15. Between the bottom 15a of bore 15 and that, 18a, of perforation 18 a compression spring 19 is placed, which tends to push shoe 17 back towards the outside.

As FIG. 1 clearly shows, each bow 2 is held at its open use position by the elastic support of shoe 17 in the slot 10. Thus, it is necessary to use a certain effort to push the bow in the direction of arrow F towards its closed position. During this movement, the shoe is pushed back in opposition to the reaction of spring 19,- when it leaves slot 10, then it glides on the periphery of cylindrical surface 9. When the shoe engages slot 11,

the bow centers itself there automatically. Sufficient play is provided between end 17b of the shoe and the shoulder 16 of block 13 to allow the shoe to move freely during the aforesaid movement.

If, starting from the open position of one of the bows, the user pivots the bow in the direction of arrow F1 (FIG. 2) about pin 6, the shoe 17 is thrust back into the interior of the bow, opposing the reaction of spring 19, by means of the bottom of notch 10 until the end 17b of the shoe makes contact on shoulder 16. The folding of the bow outwards is thus limited, and if it is let go, it automatically reassumes its normal open position. The amplitude of the outward folding of each bow 2 is thus controlled by the length of shoe 17.

As FIG. 2 clearly shows, one should take care to choose the proper length of shoe 17 so that when its end 17b comes to rest on shoulder 16, its convex end 17a is still in contact with the bottom of slot 10. In this manner the punctual contact of the shoe with part of hinge 3 is avoided. Note that in normal use position the end of block 13 which constitutes the transversal face 12a of capping 12 is flush with the corresponding edge of the flat part 8 of part of hinge 3. This face 12a is oblique in such a fashion that during the pivoting of the bow in the direction of arrow F1 it does not risk coming in contact with the aforesaid edge of flat part 8.

Thus, an eyeglass frame has been made of which the bows are held elastically in their two normal positions, that of use and that of rest, while the amplitude of their outward folding is limited.

It should moreover be understood that the preceding description has only been given by way of example. It does not limit in any way the invention if one replaces described details of its execution with any other equivalents. In particular, the face and the bows of the glasses can be made of metal; in this case the metal block 13 will be either soldered to the corresponding bow or formed by a part of this latter part.

I claim:

1. An eyeglass frame comprising a face piece having opposite ends; a pair of side bows; hinge means respectively fixed to said opposite ends and to the ends of said side bows for connecting said side bows to the face piece tiltably between a folded position and an open use position; cooperating cam means on the hinge and spring-biased shoe means housed in each bow yieldably maintaining said side bows in either of said positions, said cam means comprising a. camming surface having a pair of spaced recesses in which said spring-biased shoes respectively engage when the respective shoe bows are in either of said positions, the end of each shoe adjacent the recesses being convex, and the opposite end cooperating with a stop on the bow limiting the outward movement of the shoe means away from the hinge means, the end of each bow adjacent the hinge means having a stepped cylindrical bore receiving said bows adjacent the hinge means each having an inclined face flush with a corresponding edge of the cam means at the position of maximum opening of the bows, said inclination presenting the same radius of curvature as the recess of the open use positions of the bows. 

1. An eyeglass frame comprising a face piece having opposite ends; a pair of side bows; hinge means respectively fixed to said opposite ends and to the ends of said side bows for connecting said side bows to the face piece tiltably between a folded position and an open use position; cooperating cam means on the hinge and spring-biased shoe means housed in each bow yieldably maintaining said side bows in either of said positions, said cam means comprising a camming surface having a pair of spaced recesses in which said spring-biased shoes respectively engagE when the respective shoe bows are in either of said positions, the end of each shoe adjacent the recesses being convex, and the opposite end cooperating with a stop on the bow limiting the outward movement of the shoe means away from the hinge means, the end of each bow adjacent the hinge means having a stepped cylindrical bore receiving said spring-biased shoe; each shoe being cylindrical and being axially slidable in the larger of said stepped bores; and compression springs interposed between said outer ends of said stepped bores and the said adjacent ends of said shoes.
 2. In a frame as set forth in claim 1, the ends of the bows adjacent the hinge means each having an inclined face flush with a corresponding edge of the cam means at the position of maximum opening of the bows, said inclination presenting the same radius of curvature as the recess of the open use positions of the bows. 